Starter templates

Homelab build templates for every use case.

Each template is a complete homelab starting point — rack size, power draw, and part categories already mapped out. Pick the one that matches your workload, then swap parts until the budget and power budget line up.

Homelab template

Media Server Core

4U

Plex, Jellyfin, and light transcode workloads

Estimated budget
$1,250
Intel Quick Sync
64 GB RAM
2x NVMe
Typical draw
Compatible

185W idle with comfortable room for peak load.

Homelab template

Virtualization Node

6U

Proxmox, containers, and lab VMs

Estimated budget
$1,890
12 cores
128 GB RAM
10GbE uplink
Typical draw
Compatible

230W idle with comfortable room for peak load.

Homelab template

Backup Vault

6U

ZFS storage, snapshots, and offsite sync

Estimated budget
$2,040
8 bays
ECC RAM
UPS ready
Typical draw
Compatible

160W idle with comfortable room for peak load.

Homelab template

Network Core

2U

Switching, firewall, and management services

Estimated budget
$940
PoE
VLANs
Low noise
Typical draw
Compatible

95W idle with comfortable room for peak load.